The Red Door Chapter 6, an one tree hill fanfic

THE RED DOOR

By Linkie

Chapter 6: Complicated

Disclaimer: Still don't and probably will never own anything of the great TV show One Tree Hill… I'd like to own Brucas though, so I could have my way with them…

The Title and the song used is Complicated by Avril Lavigne from her first album Let Go, I'm not sure if it's what fit with the text, but well, I just love this song and thought it might be good to integrate it…

A/N: Thanks everybody for your reviews. And so sorry for the wait, at first, it was my summer job, then my laptop gave away with my new chapter almost finished and I hadn't saved it, and then I had university back… The loss of the chapter was horrible and I really had difficulties to write it again…and I'm not totally pleased with the result. The first version was better…

Story background: Set during season 2. Brooke's father lost their money and finally found a new job in San Diego and wants to sell the house of Tree Hill. Brooke doesn't want to join her parents in California so she goes to live at Peyton's. Lucas Roe and Nathan Scott are still brothers but they don't know each other. Nathan knows that his father had another child before him but doesn't even know that it was with Karen. Karen came back numerous times to Tree Hill alone so Dan concluded she had lost their child. Lucas, a very pregnant Karen and Andy leave LA to go to live in Tree Hill. Karen told Andy about the fact she wanted him to know who his father was. Brooke is friends with Peyton, Nathan, Haley, Mouth, and recently with Rachel.

Uh huh, life's like this
Uh huh, uh huh, that's the way it is
Cause life's like this
Uh huh, uh huh that's the way it is

Chill out whatcha yelling' for?
Lay back it's all been done before
And if you could only let it be
you will see
I like you the way you are
When we're drivin' in your car
and you're talking to me one on one but you've become

"Nate, look at the road please! You know I hate it when you do that!" Brooke said worriedly as he kept stealing glances towards her. He smiled sweetly at her and just turned his concentration back to the street, as he was told. The two were on their way to TRIC, where Peyton was holding a small party in Brooke's honor. It was today her birthday and everybody she liked was going to be there. She was wearing a red and black corset and long black pants that fitted her body perfectly, according to Nathan. Brooke glanced at herself in the driving mirror and ran a hand through her hair, trying to give it more volume. "Does my hair look good enough? Maybe I should have straightened it, don't you think? It looks kinda messy, uh?" She asked anxiously while Nathan chuckled, not even stealing a glance at her to check her hair. Girls and their looks…Brooke was even worse than Peyton and Haley reunited.

"Brooke, you're looking stunning, so stop it already, please." He replied in a tired voice and she looked over at him, and opened her mouth to talk but closed it again before a sound was out. "What is it? I can see you, you know?"

"Thanks for the stunning compliment. I was just wondering something…"

"And what were you wondering if it's not indiscreet?" He asked with a twinkle in his eyes. She looked over at him seriously and watched herself in the driving mirror for a second.

"Would you date me if you were celibate?"

"What sort of question is that?" Nathan frowned a little but didn't let it perturb his concentration.

"Well, I was just wondering if a guy could fall for me… I mean, it's been several months since I didn't go out with a guy and I'm beginning to think I'm not good enough. Heck, I didn't even have sex for about the same period…"

"C'mon, you know that almost every guy of the bb team would ask you out if they knew you were going to give them a chance." Nathan reassured and that brought a small smile to her face. She didn't know why she was being so insecure about herself those last times but she knew it started to annoy people around her.

"You think?"

"I know. You're the most talked about girl when we're in the lockers, especially Tim; I think he's your greatest fan."

"Yuck, that's just disgusting." Brooke made a face, imagining a sweaty half naked Tim, fantasizing about her in the lockers' showers.

"Sorry, but you asked for it. And what's this with your lost confidence? Did some smart guy reject you or something?" He teased her a little, and she shoved him softly, as he let out a mocking laugh.

"No, no boy would reject me…" She said with a playful roll of eyes and he shook his head, smiling a little at her reply. The two were good friends since their breakup and were always having funny conversations.

"Then?"

"Well, there is this boy I'm really starting to like, and I guess he likes me too, as a friend, but I'm not sure if he wants more…" She bit her lip unsure if he knew what she was trying to say, and Nathan looked at her playfully.

"You can call Lucas by his name, you know?" He said with a small laugh and her eyes went big at how perspicacious he was being. She couldn't believe that he, Nathan Scott, had noticed that she liked Lucas.

"What?" She asked with surprise written all over her face.

"Oh, c'mon, Peyt told me about your 'cute crush' the other day."

"It's not a crush!" She exclaimed mocking indignation and he threw his head back in laugher, still thinking of the face she had just made when he had said 'cute crush'. Brooke Davis didn't have crushes, or at least would never admit she had any.

"Whatever."

"I swear Nathan…" She threatened him with a small glare and he shrugged, and his laugh died, but he kept the humoristic conversation, though.

"Well, you know what would be a smart move? You should ask him out tonight."

"Oh yeah, what a fantastic idea! This way if he pushes me away, I'll have the most wonderful birthday of my life!"

"Think that he doesn't reject you, what a great night you'll have…" He said with some sarcasm and she just shook her head, thinking it wouldn't work anyway. "Or, you can play drunk and then you'll just have to say to him you didn't realize what you were saying."

"That is a good idea! Thanks Nathan!" She said with seriousness thinking his suggestion was really canny, and just bright, for real. So she began thinking of a plan to make Lucas Roe fall for her…

Somebody else round everyone else
You're watching your back like you can't relax
You're tryin' to be cool you look like a fool to me
Tell me

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
And you fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
and promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

You come over unannounced
dressed up like you're somethin' else
where you are and where it's at you see
you're making me
laugh out when you strike your pose
take off all your preppy clothes
you know you're not fooling anyone
when you've become

"Wow, wow!" Brooke wrapped her arms around Lucas's neck and leaned his head down a little to look into his eyes. Lucas laughed at her and enveloped her in a hug.

"Happy birthday, Pretty Girl." He whispered in her ear, sending shivers down to her spine. She smiled seductively at him and looked him in the eye intensively, which made him blush a little.

"Lucas, you hot!" She almost yelled and he laughed a little at her statement. They said drunken revelations are always reflecting what we really think… Well, it was always nice to know it.

"And I think you drank too much… How many glasses did you have?" He asked, though he guessed she wouldn't even be able to answer a question as simple as that one, seeing her poor state.

"Uh…" She tried to count on her fingers but just gave up when she couldn't even see them clearly. She giggled at this thought and looked up at Lucas, a big smile playing on her juicy lips. "I don't even remember! Hey look that way! Looks like Pey and Tutor wife are arguing or something!" She yelled into his ear and he pulled back, now laughing slightly at her drunken state. They danced some more, Brooke throwing herself at him several times, and him not being bothered at all but not making a move either, which was starting to upset the brunette. She turned her head to look at her other friends and noticed Peyton and Haley both making strange moves. "Do you think they're just arguing?"

"More like fighting."

"Oh, that's so great!" She exclaimed loudly, very enthusiastic about it and Lucas pulled away a little, confused by her remark.

"I thought they were your friends?" He replied with a frown and a lift of an eyebrow, which she found very sexy.

"They are, but that doesn't mean I don't like watching cat fights, that's what is more distracting in parties." She said with a naughty smile and he shook his head, chuckling, before wrapping his arms around her waist as a slow song came one. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and put her head on his chest, still looking at Peyton and Haley.

"Really Brooke…"

"What handsome? Trust me; they'll call it a truce tomorrow, when they'll be sober."

"I hope you're right, because it looks kinda nasty from here." He said quietly and both stopped dancing in the middle of the dance floor, too engrossed by the scene that was playing in front of their eyes.

"C'mon with me, we'll watch them for a few, and then we'll have a talk." She announced, before taking his hand in hers, entwining their fingers together and she led him to her friends, who were surrounding Peyton and Haley. Lucas didn't even have the time to think about the second part of her sentence as he was brought in the middle of what he would have called 'chaos'.

"Do you realize you're not even close to make him happy if you continue acting this way? He's hurting Haley." Peyton yelled at her friend who just shook her head in answer, swallowing hard before answering as calmly as she could.

Why do you care anyway? It's none of your business." Haley James Scott stood there, perched on her high heels, a bear in one hand and a joint in the other. It was a sight no one had ever seen. Haley was drunk but also stoned, and they didn't even know where she had found the joint which scared them.

"Right. Nathan is my friend, you are too. I'm only trying to help but if you don't want my opinion, fuck yourself." Peyton voice reasoned and Haley scoffed at her last words, they were so Peyton like. Everytime the blonde got in a fight, she was always saying 'fuck yourself', or recently, it was more 'Brooke yourself' in reference of Brooke's moments of lonely pleasure…

"Excuse me, what did you just say? I think I heard wrong…you are trying to what?"

"You heard me Haley. You're acting like a real slut with all those strange things with Chris and all!" Haley began even redder from anger as she heard the name of Chris being brought up and pointed her finger at Peyton, pushing her in the shoulder.

"How dare you? How dare you judging my relationship with my husband? And treating me a slut, Peyton, that's really low, even for you."

"But face the reality Haley, your marriage is down for good. Why do you think Nathan's so cold with you?" Nathan looked forth and back between the two, not knowing what to say. He was afraid Peyton would say something about their kiss to Haley, but he didn't want the two friends to fight because of him. Brooke nudged him in the rib so he would open his mouth and say something, but he just didn't and she wondered why.

"What are you even talking about? Like you know about us, anyway!" Haley continued, now suspicious of the relationship her husband kept with Peyton. It looked like they had become really close over the last months and she wondered how it had happened.

"I do know a lot about Nathan's feelings because in case you've forgotten we're friends."

"Friends! All you want is to have him for yourself!" Haley exploded and as Peyton was ready to retort, Brooke decided it was the time to say something before things got even bad and the two girls started to pull at each other throats.

Somebody else round everyone else
Watching your back, like you can't relax
Trying to be cool you look like a fool to me
Tell me

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
and You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into
honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

Chill out whatcha yelling for?
Lay back, it's all been done before
And if you could only let it be
You will see

Somebody else round everyone else
You're watching your back, like you can't relax
You're trying to be cool, you look like a fool to me
Tell me

"Girls, why don't you both low your voices and calm down a little, everybody's looking." Brooke intervened and Haley jerked her head to the side, and then let out a small laugh.

"Look who's coming now! The infamous Brooke Davis, Tree Hill resident slut with her new boytoy!" Brooke looked down at her hands which were joined to Lucas and wondered if she should pull away and let him go, but he didn't seem to care about what Haley had just said. He even brought her closer to his chest and gave her a small comforting kiss on the top of the head.

"Haley, I think you should stop right now." Peyton said, taking Brooke's defence. She had seen the pain in her bestfriend's eyes and she knew the remark had gotten to her.

"Why don't you tell her why I'm in that state right now, uh? Since Nathan is too much of a coward to stay here when we talk about him?"

"Haley this doesn't concern them, okay?"

"Well, I'll do it then. Nathan and Peyton kissed."

"You what? You kissed your bestfriend's husband?" What's wrong with you Peyton?" Brooke glared at her bestfriend and then at Nathan who would have given everything he had to disappear.

"Brooke, this isn't about you, okay?" Peyton mumbled and she shook her head, as she still couldn't believe it. Her bestfriend knew it wasn't a thing to do, especially when Nathan was married to her bestfriend Haley!

"But how could you kiss Nathan? After what happened to me with Felix? Don't you remember how depressed I was?" She asked her voice breaking and Lucas rubbed her arms, still providing some good comfort. And she knew she would have to thank him for standing up to her later.

"You can't compare Nathan and me to Theresa and Felix. It was only a kiss, damn it! Felix had sex with the girl."

"When did it happen?" Brooke asked confused as she thought she would have noticed if something that big had happened between her bestfriend and Nathan.

"This afternoon, here, while we both were at the mall." Haley replied before Peyton could say anything. Brooke shook her head mad at Peyton and Nathan's behaviour and put a comforting hand on Haley's shoulder as this one began to cry.

"Why the hell did you even tell her? And where is Nathan." Brooke said as she looked around but didn't spot Nathan anymore. What a coward, he had left without an explanation.

"Brooke…just mind your own business." Peyton whispered and Brooke shrugged, leaning against Lucas chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist from keeping her from losing her weak balance. "And Haley, in case you've forgotten, Nathan isn't the one who cheated first. Again, does the name of Chris Keller ring any bells?"

"You slut, I'll show you." Haley muttered before pouncing on the blonde who was all ready to defend herself as she knew she had stuck a nerve. Lucas decided it was time to intervene and grabbed Haley while Tim took Peyton. Haley struggled free while Peyton smirked at her.

"Truth always hurts Hales." She said then ran out, while Brooke stood there shocked as Rachel laughed at the scene.

"Well, I have to say Brookie, you know how to make a party interesting!" Rachel said emphasizing the nickname she used for her new friend and Brooke shot her a nasty look, but didn't say anything to her. She wasn't worth it. Brooke decided she needed some air, she couldn't believe what Haley had said about her, in front of the guy she was trying to overawe.

"Well done Rachel." Lucas said kind of harshly and followed Brooke outside, while Rachel smirked at his retreating back. Brooke kept on running until she knew nobody would come bothering her, or so she thought. Lucas approached her very quietly and stood up behind her, no knowing if he should stay or leave her alone.

"You can sit, you know?" She said as she felt him balance from one to another foot. He let out a small breath and went around the bench, and sat close to her.

"Thanks." He said with a small smile. "Are you okay?"

"I guess… I can't believe Peyton and Nathan did that to Haley, she's such a great girl." She said bitterly and Lucas took one of her hands in his, rubbing it softly.

"It was only a kiss, maybe there wasn't more than that?" Lucas suggested and she shook her head, not believing his words.

"Peyton isn't one of the girls to kiss a guy for no apparent reason, and Nathan would never do that to Haley if he hadn't any feelings."

"Well, I don't know either of them but they only seemed friendly to me."

"You don't kiss a friend Lucas." She said kinda harshly and felt him pulling away slightly and feared he was going to leave her. She relaxed a little when she felt his hand on her cheek and leaned against it, before placing her hand over his. "I… about what Haley said, you know the whole boytoy thing…it's not what you are to me. And it's not who I am."

"I know it's not Brooke. You would have tried something if it was something like that, right?"

"No, what I mean is that it was the old me, things changed since." She admitted with a sigh and Lucas smiled warmly at her.

"I kinda figured they had… You're a great girl Brooke Davis; don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thanks." She said with a smile and they both fell into a peaceful silence before she thought he might misinterpret her words. "But it doesn't mean I don't like you, okay?"

"Because, you do?" He asked with a twinkle in his eyes and she took it as a good sign.

"Yeah, I think I do… but…" Before she could end her sentence, he was already kissing her. And she didn't know if she should kiss back, or pull away because she wasn't finished and was unsure about the whole situation.

Lucas smiled as he felt her stir on the bed, and turned around to look at her. She was beautiful and she sure had to know it… He saw the clock and knew he had to get up and go for his early run to maintain his heart condition. He pulled a pair of sport pants over his boxers and a wife beater and took his Ipod in his hand. He thought about leaving the brunette a small message, in case she woke up before he was back but doubted she would be anyway. So he just left, without thinking of taking a water bottle with him, in case he would be thirsty. He went out and smiled when he saw there was no one in the streets. It was funny how things were different in Tree Hill. Compared to L.A, you could wonder if you were still in the same country. Because you don't cross any people, even at this hour, and all you can hear is the birds chipping. It's really amazing to think that if he were still in L.A. he would be surrounded by other joggers… He came back home after a good half an hour of running and was surprised to find a tall man waiting under the porch. "Hi Lucas."

"Who are you already?" Lucas asked carefully and took the bottle the man handed him. "Thanks."

"It's never good to forget about water when you go running. Dan Scott, I'm the mayor of Tree Hill, but I'm above all one of your mom's old friends. I went to high school with her; we used to hang out a lot."

"Cool." Dan smiled warmly at him and then sat on the steps and motioned for Lucas to do the same. Lucas hesitated and finally did, shrugging.

"So, I heard by Nathan that you were going to THHS too. In what class are you?" Dan asked the younger man and Lucas shrugged, handing him the bottle back.

"Just like Nathan, senior." He answered after a deep breath.

"Oh, so you're like...17?" Dan asked, doing the mental arithmetic in his head. 17 years old meant he could be his son, the son Karen had kept from him after high school. Who else's could he be really? Even if Karen and he had had sex together, the woman had been more of a prude than a slut.

"Yeah I am."

"So, I heard Andy was only your step-father..." Lucas frowned a little, and began to wonder why Lucas was asking all those things about him but decided it was nothing wrong wanting to know about someone, and answered.

"I never met my real father... mom made me promise her I would wait until she was ready to tell me about him."

"Aren't you a bit curious?" Dan asked with humor, and Lucas shrugged again, looking down at his hands.

"I am, but my mom is everything to me. I would never break a promise I made to her."

"Promises are meant to be broken, Lucas."

"Not mine." The blonde boy answered kind of harsher than expected, and before Dan could slide another remark, Brooke cleared her throat, making her presence known. Lucas turned to look at her with a small smile and got up, then hugged her. "Hey Pretty Girl."

"Hey you." Brooke said simply then ran a hand through her hair embarrassed that Dan Scott had to see her wearing so little. Okay, it wasn't like she was naked or anything, but only wearing one of Lucas' shirts wasn't really covering her slender legs. And she was also wondering how Lucas knew the man, who had never stopped freaking her out. "Good Morning Mayor."

"Good Morning Brooke, well, I guess I'll leave you too alone since you both seem like you don't like to lose time. I hope I'll see you again Lucas, and Miss Davis, behave." Dan winked at the teenagers and turned to leave while Brooke scolded at him.

"What was that?" Brooke frowned and Lucas shrugged, his eyes never leaving Dan's car as the man began driving away.

"I don't know, but it was kinda weird." Lucas answered and took her hand, leading her inside where they would be warmer. He stopped to close the door, and brought her close to his chest. "Hey, I didn't get a proper good morning." He said as he hugged her tightly.

"Broody, you're all wet and sweaty; it's kinda disgusting and appealing the same time…" Broody was her newfound nickname for him, she had found it last night after they had gone back from the party, and after their strange kiss. Things had kinda evolved a little, but the fact she hadn't want any other kiss after the one they had shared on the bench, had left him pretty confused. Maybe she thought he was a bad kisser, but he really never had a problem with kissing girls before.

"Wanna take a shower with me?" He asked with a wink and she shoved him a little, suppressing a laugh.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I'll be changing in your room, and I'll take a shower at Peyton. I'm sure there's going to be a big talk." Lucas nodded and pulled away from her, and when he did, she felt coldness hit her body. She watched as he headed to the bathroom and bit her bottom lip, not knowing how to react to his gesture. "Lucas?" She asked following him into the stairs that led to the first floor. She took his hand in hers and their eyes met when he turned around. She stepped up to be at his level and took his face between her hands, and acted upon her feelings, kissing him on the lips quickly.

"Hey Pey." Brooke threw her bag on the floor and went to lie next to her bestfriend, who was drawing on her scribble pad, like always. Peyton turned on her back to look at her bestfriend suspiciously, and let out a small sigh when she saw she seemed healthy and happy.

"Brooke, where the hell were you last night? God, I'm glad you're okay! Rachel told me you had left alone and I couldn't help but wonder if you were safe." She exclaimed and hugged her friend tightly.

"As you can see, I'm fine." Brooke said with a tiny smile as she didn't want to display her happiness in front of her miserable friend.

"Were did you spend the night?" Peyton asked and the brunette's face broke into a real smile.

"At my old house." At her reply, Peyton squealed unconsciously and when her enthusiasm died down she immediately as the first thought came into her mind.

"Did you and Lucas…uh…you see?"

"Pey, of course not, we just hung out and then I didn't want to go and it was late, so, I stayed with him."

"C'mon, don't tell me nothing happened!"

"Okay, we kissed once yesterday and we did it once again today, but then I felt like I had to pull away the two times. And I did, but he isn't mad apparently… What's so wrong with me Pey? I mean, he's a great fantastic guy and I can't even kiss him without thinking about Felix and what he did to me. And I'm still not sure if he has a girlfriend of not, and I really don't want to be another Theresa."

"That's understandable. Look, why don't you go take a shower and call Haley after. I think we all need to talk." Peyton said anxiously, and bit her lip guiltily as Brooke glared at her. The brunette got up and sat at Peyton's desk to look at her friend's computer screen which was showing a drawing of Haley, Nathan, Brooke and Peyton together.

"Do I need to call Nathan too, or he slept here?" Brooke let out the words before she could even realize what she had said. She looked over at Peyton and saw a new wave of sadness hit her face.

"Brooke please, it's already hard enough."

"Sorry, but you created this mess." She said dryly and even thought she was Peyton's friend, she couldn't help but remember about Felix and Theresa, and the whole cheating thing that had to hurt.

"I know I am responsible for the whole thing in your eyes but it takes two people to kiss."

"But how?"

"We were in a photobooth to do funny photos and then he leaned and kissed me and Haley and Mouth opened the curtain." Peyton explained with a very guilty look. Brooke let out a sign at her friend's explanation.

"How could you do that in a photobooth Pey, and with your friends out there?" Brooke cried, not believing her ears, she couldn't believe they had to be so carefree.

"I was just so caught up in the moment, okay!" The blonde's voice broke and Brooke looked at her through the mirror, thinking.

"Do you love him?"

"I don't know Brooke, I'm just so lost, and I don't want to lose either Haley or Nathan, and I don't want you to feel like you have to choose."

"I'll call Haley."

"Thanks."

"I'm not doing it for you Peyton, I'm doing it for her, you need to tell her it was a mistake, and that it won't happen again." Brooke said firmly and Peyton shook her head 'no'. She couldn't do that, not when she didn't know if she would be able to follow her words.

"I can't promise her that Brooke, because I don't think that if Nathan comes to me again, that I'll be able to resist."

"Peyton, you are not in love with him, just with the idea of being in love. I understand that you feel lonely without Jake-" Brooke began but was cut off by her friend, who didn't like that the name of Jake was being brought up, when he really didn't have anything to do in the conversation.

"Don't talk about my life like you know what I'm experiencing right now, because you clearly don't." Peyton snapped at her and Brooke placed her hands on her shoulders, facing her friend, trying to calm the blonde the best she could.

"As I was just saying, Jake and Jenny are not gone forever; they'll be back sooner than you think." Brooke said sure of herself, like she knew something about the subject and Peyton sat down on the bed, facing her bestfriend with a confused look.

"How would you know about something so unsure Brooke?"

"Jake called me the other day. It was supposed to be a surprise." As the brunette brought the bombshell, Peyton's eyes went wet…

Why you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like your somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no

Next in the Red Door… Big Spoilers!

Keep in mind the next update will be up in a long time, since I have other stories to write…

"How could you not tell me about it, Brooke?"

"It was supposed to be a surprise!"

"But if I had known…"

"You wouldn't have gone for Nathan, right?"

"I don't know anymore."

---------

"Nathan, what about your wedding? Do you really want Haley to leave again?" Lucas had heard about Haley leaving on tour last year, it had nearly destroyed their wedding, and now that Nathan didn't want her anymore, it was almost certain that if she got a new proposition to go, she would leave right away.

"Things with Haley were finished since a long time already."

"But-"

"I love Peyton, Lucas." Nathan confessed and threw the ball to his new friend, who caught it easily and made a shot soon after. Lucas turned to the tall brown haired boy and looked at him, rather seriously.

"Then, go tell her man, you only live once."

---------

"Lucas…I'm not ready for more than a friendship."

"That's cool, I understand. But Brooke, you need to know that I would never hurt you on purpose." He paused and sat next to her on his bed. "And I think that if you need to feel like you can trust me, I have to be honest with you… There is something I need to tell you …but that's not what you think." He said and paused for a second before taking a deep breath. "I'm a dad Brooke, she's 7, and she's not biologically mine."